Display-rack.



"N5. 790,383. PATENTED MAY 23, 1905. W. MQKINLBME B. OSBORNE.

DISPLAY RACK. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24,1904.

' Inventor;

Witneses BerZ 065mm Attornegs UNITED STAT S Patented May 23, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

' WILLIAM W. MOKINLEY AND BERTON OSBORNE, OF MUNOIE, INDIANA.

DISPLAY-RACK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 790,383, dated May 23, 1905. Application filed June 24,1904. Serial No. 214.018.

To all whom it may concern/5 Be itknown that weJVILLIAMVV. MGKINLEY and BERTON OSBORNE, citizens of the United States, residing at Muncie, in the county of Delaware and State of Indiana, have invented anew and useful Display-Rack, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to display-racks de signed especially for handling oil-cloth or other material in rolls, and has for its objects to produce a comparatively simple inexpensive device of this character in which the material will be maintained in neat compact form while on display and may be readily spread out for inspection or to be cut off for sale.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved form of display-package in which a minimum amount of the material will be exposed to and damaged by dust or the like and one in which liability of the material becoming rumpled while on display is obviated.

To these ends the invention comprises the novel features of construction and combination of parts more fully hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective of a display-rack embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of one of the tubular cores and its bearinglink. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the table-supporting braces.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a frame or support having journaled for rotation therein an upper shaft 2 and a lower shaft 3, each carrying a pair of sprocketwheels4 5, of which those on the upper shaft are arranged, respectively, adjacent to opposite ends of the latter and in vertical alinement with the companion wheels on the lower shaft for the reception of endless sprocket chains or belts 6, mounted for travel, respectively, upon the pairs of wheels or pulleys 4 5. The belts or chains 6, .which in. practice are positively driven from the lower shaft by means of a handcrank or other actuating member 7, are provided at spaced intervals with inwardly-projecting bearing-studs ortrunnions 8, arranged in oppositely-disposed pairs for entrance, respectively, into the op posite ends of suitable lengths of pipe-tubing or other'tubular cores 9, upon which the material to be displayed is rolled and maintained, as more fully hereinafter explained. It is to be noted that there is a series of the tubular cores 9 arranged at uniformly-spaced intervals throughout the length of the belts 6 for travel with the latter and that each core is sustained for independent rotation upon a pair of the bearing-studs 8 for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

Pivoted in the frame 1 is a foldable leaf or table 10, preferably of the form herein shown and comprising a pair of side bars 11 appropriately spaced apart and connected by tubular braces 12, which in turn receive the slats 13, constituting the bed of the table when not in use. ed to fold downwardly between the adjacent bars of the frame 1 and when in use to swing upon its pivot 14 to open or unfolded position,

This table when not in use is adapt- 1 in which latter position it will be sustained by means of supporting-links 15, arranged in pairs and pivoted, respectively, to the side bars 11 and main bars of the frame 1, one link of each pair being provided with an overlapping end carrying a lateral projection or portion 16, designed to enter a coincident notch or recess 17 provided in the companion link, whereby the links are secured against accidental folding.

In practice the material to be displayed is rolled tightly and compactly upon the tubular cores 9, and upon the outer surface of each roll there is applied a pair of spring clamping members or clips 18, which may be readily removed when desired, but serve when in position to effectually prevent accidental unwinding of the material. The material so prepared presents packages of neat compact form for display within the rack 1, by which they are sustained and said material prevented from becoming rumpled or damaged by dust or dirt. When, however, it is desired to more fully display a certain piece of the material for inspection, the table 10 is turned to operative position and the belts or chains are manipulated for bringing'the desired roll or package of material in alinement with the table,

onto which latter the material may be then drawn off from the roll by removing the retaining members or clips 18, the ready unrolling of the material being permissible owing to the tubular cores 9 having independent rotation upon the bearing-studs 8.

For locking the traveling meeh anism against movement with any desired roll or package in position relative to the table we fix upon the lower shaft 3 a toothed rack-wheel 19, adapted for engagement by a pawl 20, pivoted to the adjacent frame-bar 21.

From the foregoing it is apparent that there is produced a comparatively simple inexpensive device admirably adapted for the attainment of the ends in View, it being understood that minor changes in the details of construction herein set forth may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. In a device of the class described, a supporting-frame, a table pivoted thereto and foldable Within the same, a movable carrier sustained within the frame, a plurality of packages supported by and movable with the carrier, means for operating the latter for bringing the packages successively into alinement with the table, and spring retainingclips engaging said packages.

2. In a device of the class described, asupporting-frame, a table pivoted thereto and foldable within the frame, sprocket-wheels journaled in the frame, endless chains carried by said sprocket-wheels, inwardly-extending trunnions secured to the links of said chains, tubular cores journaled on said trunnions and adapted to receive the roll of fabric to be displayed, and means for rotating the sprocketwheels to bring the rolls successively into position for unrolling upon the table.

3. In a device of the class described, a supporting-frame, a table pivoted thereto and foldable within the same, braces pivoted to the free end of the table and the supportingframe, respectively, and having their overlapping ends pivoted together and provided with interlocking means, a pair of endless belts mounted for travel within the frame, a series of display-packages sustained by and movable with the belts, the latter being operable for bringing the packages successively into position for displaying said packages upon the table.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereto aflixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

WVILLIAM IV. MCKINLEY. BERT. OSBORNE.

Witnesses:

JAMES E. HAMrsoN, JOHN W. M KINLEY. 

